We backyourinvestment inquality productswithquick, expertserviceand in the United Statesand genuine Lowrancereplacement parts. Ifyou're Customer ServiceDepartyouhavequestions, please contacttheFactory ment usingourtoll-freenumber listed below. You must send the unitto thefactoryforwarrantyservice orrepair. Please call thefactorybefore sending the unit. You will be asked for your unit's serial number (shown above). Use thefollowing toll-free number:

How to Obtain Service

800-324-1356
Central time, except holidays. U.S.A.only. Monday through Friday 8:00 AM. 8:00 P.M.
Your unitis covered by afullone-yearwarranty. (Seethebackofthis flyer warranty details.) Ifyourunitfailsandthefailureis not covered forcomplete that covers by theoriginal warranty, Lowrance hasa flat-rate repairpolicy There is a with the unit at thefactory. your unitand accessories packed which is 180-day warranty on all non-warranty repairsfrom the factory, isfor180days ratherthan oneyear.For similartotheoriginal warranty, but furtherdetails,please call us at theabove number. Onfactoryrepairs, weguaranteeyour unitwillbe repaired inthreeworking includeshipping time. Iffor daysfromthe timeit is received. This does not this commitment, we will extend your some reason we cannot meet warrantyfor another full year, free of charge, fromthedate of repair.
Lowrance also gives youfreeUPS shipping fromanywhere in thecontinental United States both to and fromthe factoryfor allwarrantyrepairs. You canalso usetheenclosed UPS shipping labelfornon-warrantyshipments. See theinside of thisflyerfor moreinformation. flatto Remember, non-warrantyrepairs are subject Lowrance's published and 180-daywarranty.A 3workingday turnaround timeatthe ratecharges factory repair center is guaranteed.(Does not include shippingtime.) LITHO IN U.S.A. 988-0133-10
INSTALLATION AND OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS
LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC. 12000E. SKELLY DR., TULSA, OK 74128
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION INSTALLATION MOUNTING POWER CONNECTIONS TRANSDUCER KEYBOARD BASICS DISPLAY MENUS HELP OPERATION AUTOMATIC SENSITIVITY RANGE UpperandLowerLimits ZOOM

NOTICE!

This productusesthreaded nutsinside the caseto holdthe gimbalknobs ontotheunit.Thesenutswill rattle whenyoushake the unit, It'snormalfor thisto happenandshouldn't bea causeforconcern. Thisdoesn't affectthe watertight integrity of the unit. The unit won't raffle when it's installed With the gimbal knobs onto its

bracket.

Automatic Operation ManualOperation
ALARMS FISH ALARM ZONEALARM DEPTHALARMS ALARMMUTE MENU PAGE I CHARTSPEED

GRAYLINE

FISH I.D FISHTRACKTM DISPLAY CONTRAST
MENU-PAGE2 ADJUSTBACKLIGHTLEVEL BACKLIGHTON/OFF
SPEAKER VOLUME TURNDIGITAL BOXOFF CONSTRUCT DIGITAL BOX

MENU-PAGE3

CHARTCURSOR DISPLAY ZOOM BAR DISPLAY ZONE BAR DIGITAL SONAR MENU-PAGE 4 FASTRAK SELECT UNITS OF MEASURE CLEAR DISTANCE LOG
MENU-PAGES ADJUST CHART SURFACE CLARITY
ADVANCED SIGNAL PROCESSING (ASP) WINDOWS VIEWING WINDOWS OPTIONS MODIFYING GROUPS RESETrINGALL GROUPS

BROADVIEW

TRANSDUCERS ANDCONEANGLES FISH ARCHES SIGNAL INTERPRETATION WATER TEMPERATURE ANDTHERMOCLINES SURVEYING A LAKE BAITFISH TROUBLESHOOTING WARRANTY FREE UPS SNIPPING MISSING PARTS INTERNATIONAL SERVICE INFORMATION
All featuresand specifications subjectto change withoutnotice. All screens in this manual are simulated.
Copyright 1994 LowranceElectronics All rightsreserved.

NOTES:

The X-55A is a high quality, wide screen sonar with performance that is second to none in its class. Using menu featuresand "soft-key" operation, theX-55A isalso one of theeasiest-to-use sonars that Lowrance hasever built. Thewidescreen showstheundetwaterworld with highresolution and detail.The displayand keyboard are also lighted for nightoperation. The X-55Aalso hasdigitaldepth,boatspeed, surface watertemperature, and distancetravelled (log) displays. Inordertousethedigital speed, temperature, and log displays, you must purchase and install an optional ST-T (transom mount) orST-H(through-hull mount)speed/temperature sensor.

2. canadian customers only can write:
Pleasecheckthe items in the box against this list. You!hould have all of the itemsshown on this page. Ifyou are missing any of the items, pleasecall our special toll-free number:

1.800-324-1353

A RECORDED MESSAGE will request the following information. Please have

it ready beforeyou call.

2. The part that's missing. 3. The model, serial number, and DATE AND PLACE OF PURCHASE OF

YOUR UNIT.

1. Your name, shipping address, and telephone number.
4. The besttime of day to call you if we havequestions.
Provided that all of the requested information is recorded and approved by our CustomerService Department, the missing item(s) will be shippeddirectlyto youfree of charge.

DISPLAY UNIT GIMBAL KNOB

GIMBAL KNOB

RUBBER WASHER

RED GIMBAL BRACKET
TRANSDUCER, BRACKET, AND HARDWARE (TRANSDUCER NOT SOLD WITH ALL X-55'S) POWER CABLE

FUSE FUSE 50

OPTIONAL SPEED! TEMP SENSOR

HOLDE)

X-55A POWER CONNECTIONS
TRANSDUCER Some X-55A's are sold with a HS-WSBK transommount transducer. It can be installed on anyoutboard or stern-drive (inboarcf\outboard) powered boat. It can also be permanently installed inside the boat to "shootthrough1'the hull on some fiberglass boats.
The "kick-up" mounting bracket helps preventdamageif the transducer strikes an objectwhile the boat is moving. If the transducer does "kickup", the bracket can easily be pushed back in place withouttools.

UPSAuthorizedReturn Sent

'II.tI
ELEOThONICS LOWOANCE 12000EStSKELQY DONE1 ILILSA,OK 74120
If your unit came with a transducer, read this section carefully before
attempting the installation. Determine whichof the mounting positions is right for your boat. Use extreme care if mounting thetransducer inside the hull, since once it is epoxied into position, the transducer usually cannot be removed. Remember, the transducer location is the most critical partof a sonar installation. If it isn't done properly, the sonar can't

uMe0H ,D1rp010Ar,ON

performat it's designed potential.

IllhIll

UPSAuthorized Return
Location - General 1. The transducer must be placed in a location that hasa smooth flow of water at all times. If thetransducer is to be mounted inside the hull, then the chosen location must be in the water at all times. If the transduceris not placed in a smooth flow of water, interference will show on the sonar's display in the form of random lines or dots wheneverthe boat is moving.

Sen'icej

KEEP THIS LABELl

Lowrance will pay UPS surface shipping charges both to and from the factoryforthis unitin the event it needs repair. Yourunitis insured against loss or shippingdamage when you usethe enclosed UPS label.
2. Slip thetransducer's mounting pad between the bracket's mounting "ears". Sandwich two internal lockwashersbetween thetransducer and one side of the mounting bracket as shown below. Place one washeron the other side of thetransducer.

TWO WASHI

WASHER
LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS FULL ONE-YEAR WARRANTY
'We", "our", or "us" refersto LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS. INC., the manufacturer of this product. "You" or"your"referstothe firstperson whopurchases this product asaconsumer item for personal, family,or household use. We warrantthisproduct againstdefects ormalfunctions in materials andworkmanship, and against failuretoconform tothis product's written specifications, allforoneyear (1)fromthe date of original purchase by you. WE MAKE NO OTHER EXPRESS WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER CONCERNING THIS PRODUCT. Yourremedies underthiswarranty willbeavailable solong asyou canshowina reasonable mannerthat any defect or malfunction in materials orworkmanship, orany non-conformity with the product's written specifications, occurred within one year from the date of your original purchase, which must besubstantiated bya dated sales receipt or salesslip. Any suchdefect, malfunction, or non-conformitywhichoccurs withinone yearfromyouroriginal purchase date will either be repaired withoutcharge or be replaced with a new product identical orreasonably equivalentto this product,atour option, withinareasonable timeafter our receiptof the product If suchdefect, malfunction, or non-conformity remains after a reasonable number of attempts to repairby us, you may electto obtain withoutcharge a the replacementof product ora refund fortheproduct. THIS REPAIR, REPLACEMENT, OR REFUND (AS JUST DESCRIBED) IS THE EXCLUSIVE REMEDY AVAILABLE TO YOU AGAINST USFORANY DEFECT, MALFUNCTION, OR NONCONFORMITY CONCERNING THE PRODUCT OR FORANY LOSS OR DAMAGE RESULTING FROM ANY OTHER CAUSE WHATSOEVER. WE WILLNOTUNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BE LIABLE TO ANYONEFORANY SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR OTHER INDIRECT DAMAGE OF ANY KIND.

BOLT &

1111111111111111111111

SLEEVE

Some statesdonotallowthe exclusion orlimitation ofincidental orconsequential damages, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you.
3. Slide the metal sleeve over the bolt. Slip the bolt and sleeve through thebracket,washers, and transducer assembly. Place an internal tooth lock washer over the end of the bolt and thread the nut onto it. Do not tighten the nut at this time. The transducer is now ready for installation. INSTALLATION- Transom Mount 1. The transducer mustbe placed in a location that hasa smooth flow of water at all times. Air bubbles createdby themovement of the boat hull against the water interfere with thesonar signal. This causes "noise" or random marks to appear on the sonar's display. You may need to carefullyviewthewater'spath at the transomwhilethe boat is moving to determine the best location for the transducer.

When no noise appears onthe sonar unitafterall ofthe above tests,then the noise source is probably cavitation. Many novices or persons with limited experience make hastysonar installations whichfunction perfectly in shallow water, orwhentheboatis at rest. In nearlyall cases, the cause ofthe malfunction will be the location and/orangleofthe transducer. The faceof the transducer must be placed ina location that hasa smooth flow ofwaterat all boat speeds. Read your transducer owner's manual forthe best mounting position.
SHOOT-THRU-HULL INSTALLATION The transducer installation inside a fiberglass hull must be in an area that does not have air bubbles in the resin or separated fiberglass layers. The sonar signal must passthrough solid fiberglass. A successful transducer installation oan be made on hulls with flotation materials (such as plywood, balsa wood, or foam) between layers of fiberglassif the material is removed from the chosen area. For example, some manufacturers use a layer of fiberglass, then a core of balsa wood, finishing with an outer layerof fiberglass. Removing the inner layer of fiberglassand the balsawoodcore exposes the outer layerof fiberglass. The transducer can then be epoxied directlyto the outer layerof fiberglass. After the epoxy cures, the hull is watertight and structurally sound. Remember, the sonar signal mustpassthrough solid fiberglass. Any air bubbles in the fiberglassor the epoxywill reduceor eliminatethe sonar signals.
To choose the proper location for thru-hull mounting, anchortheboat in 60 feet of water. Add a little water to the sump of the boat. Plug the transducerinto thesonar unit, turn it on, then hold thetransducerover

FILL WITH

EPOXY,J?1

EpoxyTO HULL FIRST

INNER HULL OUTER HULL
WINDOWSSUMMARY All of the windowgroups used by the X-55Aare shown on the following pages. To view these groups, simply press the WINDOWS key, then repeated pressthe downarrow key. This will "cycle" the unitthrough all groups. Remember, eachgroup can be customized, however the group will revert to theonesshown onthese pages whentheunitis turnedoff.
the side of the boat. Adjust the sensitivity and range controls until a second bottom echo is seen on the display. (you will need to turn the automatic function off on L.C.G. units.) Don't touch the controls once they've been set. Next, take the transducer out of the waterand place it in the water in the sumpof the boat. Observe thesonar signal to see if there is a noticeable decrease in sensitivity. The second bottom signal may disappear and the bottom signal may decrease in intensity. Move thetransduceraround to find the best location. If the sensitivity control has to be increased greatlyto compensate, then the transducer should be mounted on theoutsideof the hull. If not, then mark the location that shot through the hull the best and follow the instructions on the next pages for a shoot-thru-hull mounting.

TRANSDUCER LOCATION (HIGH SPEED)
TRANSDUCER LOCATION (TROLLING SPEED)
2. Electrical noise fromthe boat'smotorcaninterfere with the sonar. This causes the sonar to automatically increase its Discrimination or noise rejection feature. Thiscancausetheunitto eliminate weakersignals such as fish or even structure fromthe display. Tryusingresistorspark plugs or routing the sonar unit's power and transducercables away from other electrical wiring on the boat.
No fish arches when the Fish ID feature is off:
1. Make certain transducer is pointing straight down. This is the most commonproblem ifa partial arch is displayed. See the Fish Arch section in your owner's manual for more information. 2. The sensitivity maynot be high enough. In orderfortheunitto display afish arch, it hasto beableto receive thefish'sechofromthetimeitenters theconeuntil itleaves. Ifthe sensitivity isnot highenough, the unit displays the fish only when it is in the centerof the cone. 3. Use the Zoom feature. It is much easierto displayfish arches when zoomedin on a small range of waterthan a large one. For example, you will have much better Iuckseeingfish archeswith SOto60 foot rangethan a a0to 60foot range. Thisenlarges thetargets, allowing thedisplay to show muchmoredetail. 4. The boat mustbe moving at a slowtrolling speed to seefish arches. If the boat is motionless, fish stay in the cone, showing on the display as
straight horizontal lines.

SANDTHIS SURFACE

Shoot-thru-hull Installation 1. Make certain the area is clean. dry. and free of oil or grease, then sand both the inside surface of the hull and the face of the transducer with 100 grit sandpaper. The surface of the hull mustbe flat sotheentire transducerface is in contactwith the hull priorto bonding.

SPREAD

NOISE A major causeof sonar problems is electrical noise. Thisusually appears onthesonar'sdisplay as randompatterns ofdotsor lines. In severecases, it can completelycover the screen with black dots, or cause the unit operate erratically, or notat all.
2. Follow the instructions on the epoxy package and mix it thoroughly. Do not mix it too fast, as it will cause bubbles to form in the epoxy. (NOTE! Use only the epoxiesspecified on page 1 ofthis manual! Failure to use one of these epoxies may result in poor sonar performance!) Apply a small amounton the face of the transducer as shown above, then spread a small amount onto the sanded areaon thehull. Place the
Toeliminateor minimize theeffects ofelectrical noise,firsttrytodetermine the cause.With the boat at rest in the water, thefirst thing you should do isturn all electrical equipment on the boat off. Makecertain the engine is off, also. Turn your X-55A on, then turn off ASP (Advanced Signal Processing). There should be a steady bottom signal on the display. Now turn on each pieceof electrical equipment on theboat and viewthe effect on thesonar's display. Forexample, turnon thebilgepump and viewthe sonardisplayfor noise. If no noiseis present, turnthepump off, then turn ontheVHF radio andtransmit. Keep doingthisuntil all electricalequipment hasbeen turned on, theireffectonthesonardisplaynoted, then turned off.

ZOOM- The X-55A gives you2Xand 4Xzoom capabilitywith this key. AUTO - This turns the automatic featureoff and on.
MENU - Press this key to show the menus and gain access to most functions. CLEAR - This key clears menus and erases entries from the screen.
ALARM- Press thiskey to activate anyof the sonar alarms.
STOP - When this key is pressed, the chart stops scrolling. This doesn't affectthedigital display, however.
weakbottomecho while boat is moving
Bottom echo disappears at high speeds or erraticdigital reading or
ARROWKEYS - These keys are used to makemenu selectionsand to moveobjectson the screen.
ON - The ON key turns the X-55Aon.
1. The transducer may be in turbulent water. It must be mounted in a smooth flow of water in order for the sonar to work atall boat speeds. Air bubbles in thewaterdisrupt the sonar signals, interfering with its abilityto find the bottomor othertargets.Thetechnical termfor this is Cavitation.
OFF- Press and HOLD the Off key to turn the X-55A off.
DISPLAY- General The lights are turnedonforapproximately tenseconds whenthe X-55Ais firstturnedon. Menus appearatthesametime. keepthelights on, press To thekey adjacent to the Lightlabel. It controlsthe backlighting used on the displayand keyboard. If youdon'twantthe lights on, waittenseconds and the lights will automatically turn themselves off. The menus will also disappearafter ten seconds, or you can turn them off by pressing the CLEARkey at the bottom of the screen.
The most efficient way to becomeacquainted with a bodyof water is to survey it with your X-55A. Start with a map of the lake, if possible, and indicate the promising spotsin relation to landmarks on shore. As you go aboutyour survey, yourX-55Awill tell youthedepth and type of bottom. It will also reveal suspended fish.
Keep afewmarkerbuoys in the boat, ready totoss overboard. When the X-55Aindicates a school offish, throwthe buoyout. Withtheschoolthus marked, youcanmake yourturnand come backto fish inexactlytheright spot. Thisis essentialwhen you'refarfromshore on abig lake.Unlessyou marktheschool of fish whenyou're over it, you may not be ableto find it again.
TheMetric label at the topof thescreen works thesameway. Pressthe key adjacentto the Metric labelto changethedepth from feetto meters. This also changes thetemperature displayto degrees Celsius, speedto knots, and log to kilometers on theX-55A. TheDisplay menu at the bottomofthescreen lets youadjustthedisplay's

comfortable here.

However, situations occur where it becomes necessary to increase or decreasethe sensitivity. Thistypicallyhappenswhen youwishtoseemore so an increase in sensitivity is indicated. Theprocedure to adjustit detail, is the samewhetherthe unit is in theautomatic or manual mode. To adjustthesensitivity, press the SENS key. Thesensitivity adjust menu appearsat thebottomofthescreen. Thesensitivitymenu hasleftand rightarrows, plus ahorizontal bar graph. The graph gives a visual indication of the sensitivity level. The number abovethe INCarrow also shows thepercentage of sensitivity in use. To increase the sensitivity level, pressthe right arrow key. As you press the key, the menu's bar graph will grow wider and the percentage will increase in value.You can also see the difference on the chart record as it scrolls.Whenthe sensitivity is at thedesired level, release the key. the To decrease sensitivity level, press the key adjacent to the leftarrow. Thebar graph and percentagewilldecrease. When thesensitivity is atthe desired level, release the key. When you reach either the maximum or minimum limit, a tone sounds.
of Thetemperature waterinthe lake isseldom constantfrom topto bottom. (Seethepicture on the nextpage.) Layers of different temperaturesform, andthe junction of awarmand cool layerofwateris called a thermocline. The depth and thickness of thethermocline can varywith the season or time of day. In deep lakes there maybe two or more at different depths. Thermoclines are important to fishermen because they are areas where fish are active. Many times baitfish will be above the thermocline while largergame fish will suspend in or justbelow it.
TheX-55Acandetectthisinvisible layer inthewater, butthesensitivitywill probablyhaveto be turned up to see it. Whenthe Fish l.D. mode is off, the depth of thewaterwill affect the size and shape of the fish arch due to the cone angle diameter. For example, iftheconepasses overafish in shallow water, the signal displayed on the X-55A maynot arch at all. Thisis duetothenarrowconediameter and the resolution limitations of the display.
BOATS DIRECTION OF TRAVEL
RANGE - Automatic When turned on for the first time, the X-55A automatically places the bottom signal in the lowerhalfofthe screen. This is calledAuto Ranging and is part of the automatic function. The range cannot be changed manually whilethe unitis in automatic.

ifthe cone passesover afish in shallowwater, thesignal displayed onthe X-55Amaynot arch atall.Thisis duetothenarrow conediameterandthe resolution limitations of the display.
SONARALARMS The X-55A hasthreedifferenttypes of sonar alarms. The firstisthe Fish Alarm. It sounds whenthe Fish l.D. featuredetermines an echo or group ofechoesis afish.Anotheralarm isthe ZoneAlarm which consists ofa bar. echothat appears inside thisbar triggers the alarm. The last alarm is Any called the Depth Alarm. Onlythe bottom signal willtriggerthis alarm. This is useful as an anchorwatch, a shallowwateralert, orfor navigation. To adjust an alarm, first press the ALARM key. The screen shown below appears. Pressthekeynexttothe desired alarm's label to adjust itortoturn
then itshowsechoesfrom both. When either the left or right transducerelements arein use, the display scrolls the echoes

it on.

FISH ALARM Usethefish alarm foradistincfive audiblealarm whenfish or other suspended objects are detected by the Fish 1.0. feature.Adifferenttone sounds for each fish symbol size shown onthedisplay.Tousethisalarm, simplypressthekey nexttothe "TURN FISHALM ON" label.
SET DEPTH 4LARNS SET ZONE 4LPM
fromthetop ofthedisplaytothe bottom, instead of from right to left.Onthe examplescreenson the previous page , both the right and left transducer elements are in use. The bottom echo shows on the far left side ofthe leftelement's display and thefarrightsideofthe right element's display. Theclosera target is to the zero line, thecloserthe target is to your boat. the WhentheFish IDfeatureison, Fish ID symbols appearon screenwhen theunit'scomputerthinks targets are fish. Ifthe FishTracklMfeature is on, thedistance fromthe boat to the symbol shows beneath the fish symbol. (Note: FishID and FishTrackTM only workwhenthe automatic mode is on. These features are not available when the sonar unit is in the manual mode.) The label atthe top ofthescreen shows which transducer element is in useand the range. In the example screen on the previous page, the range is 60 feet and the unit is using both the left and right transducer elements. Tochange elements, press the WINDOWS key, thenpress the up or down arrow key until the desired screen appears. The X-55Acan show left and down, right and down, orboth left and rightviews atthe same
time. AUTOMATIC vs MANUALOPERATION Your sonar unitcan usethe BroadViewTM transducerin either the automaticor manual mode. Theabovescreen shows a screen with automatic and Fish IDon. Thescreen shown below shows amuch differentviewwith automatic and Fish ID off. This view shows the scattered signals (called "surface clutter) nearthe surface and actualsonar returns from objectsin the water, structure, and the bottom.

jTLJKN FISH ALF1LII

ZONE ALM UN
ZONE ALARM The zone alarm consists of a bar that appears on the right side of the screen. Any echo that appears onthescreen between thetop and bottom of the zone alarm'sbar will "trip"thezonealarm. (Note: The zone alarm isn't available in the Windows mode.) To set thezone alarm, press theALARM key. Nowpressthe key nextto the "Set Zone Alarm" label. A screen similar to the one shown below

appears.

Thezonealarmbarappears on IMSMTII the right side of the screen. 12 Usethearrowkeys to movethe E Ii SET ZONE bottom of the bar higher or 29 IILOWER LIMIT lower. To move the top of the 35 first press the key nextto _____________________ TO UPPERI bar, the"CHANGE TO UPPER" la (CHANGE ____ 98 bel.Now usethearrow keys to movethe topof the barhigher 60 or lower. When you have the -
To switch between automatic
AUTO key to view the automatic/manual menu,thenpress
and manual modes, press the
RESETTING ALL GROUPS To return all of the groupsto their factory settingswithout turningtheunit offandonagain, presstheWINDOWS key, then presstheMENU key,then press the key adjacent to the "MAIN MENU" label. Now press the key adjacent to the "REPROGRAM A GROUP" label. Finally, pressthe key nextto the "RESET ALL GROUPS" label.
zone alarm barsetas desired, press theCLEAR keyto erase themenus. The above stepsautomatically turnthe zonealarm on if it was off. To turn thezonealarm off, press the ALARMkey, then pressthe key nextto the "Turn ZoneAlarm Off" labelat the bottom of the screen.
Normally, the zonealarm bardisappears fromthe screen afteryou make adjustments. Toleavethezonealarm baronthescreen all ofthetime,see the "Display ZoneAlarm Bar"sectionin this manual for instructions.

BROADVIEWTM

DEPTHALARMS
Thedepth alarms sound a tone when the bottom signal goes shallower than the shallowalarm's setting or deeperthan thedeep alarm's setting. For example, if yousetthe shallowalarm totenfeet, thealarm will sound a tone if the bottom signal is less than ten feet. It will con _______ _________________ tinue to sound until you mute it SHAL QW ON__________ 0 ______ or until thebottom goesdeeper than 10 feet. The deep alarm _________________________ works just the opposite. It _____ _______________ _____ sounds a warning tone if the ________ ______________________
bottom depth goes deeperthan
thealarm's setting. Both depth alarmsworkonly off thedigital
bottom depth signals. No other targets will trip these alarms. These alarms can be used at thesame timeorbythemselves.

ample, if you press the key adADJUST CHART SPEED jacenttothe window menu label on the sonarchart window, the ADJUST GRAft. [NE screen will clear and you will have a new menu with selec'JRH FISE ID OH tionssuchas"ADJUST CHART SPEED"and "ADJUST GRAYTHESE ADJUSTMENTS AFFECT ALL CHART LINE" as shown below. Other WINDOWS AND windowmenus let you change FULL SCREEN CHART. the units of measure or adjust alarms. ______ ______
MENU- PAGE 1 CHARTSPEED The rate echoes scroll across the screen is called the chart speed. It's adjustable by first pressing the menu key, then pressing the key adjacent to the "ADJUST CHARTSPEED" label. The chart speed menu appears at the bottom of the PAGE screen. Increase the chart speedby pressing theright arrowkeyordecrease itby pressingtheleft arrow key. The perAUTO IF 0 centage of chart speed in use as the arrow keys are 52.0 FTO changes ________ 12 pressed. The bar chart also gives a graphical indication of 29 the chart speed. You can see thechangeon thescreen (both on the menu and on the chart record) as you pressthe keys. 98 _____________ After you've made the adjustCHART I}N so ment, pressthe CLEAR keyto __________ I']4I4M :2L, erase the menu. _____________________________
To exit from a windowmenu, press the CLEAR key.
VIEWING WINDOWS OPTIONS Tosee allofthe available window options, pressthe WINDOWS key, then pressthe MENU key. Nowpress the key adjacent to the "MAIN MENU" label. Finally, pressthe next key to the"VIEWALL WINDOWS" label. The screen at thetop of __________ I FEET I the nextpage appears.
Thefirstwindowappears inthe the upperrightcornerof screen. A description of the screen showsin the boxat the bottom of the screen. Now press the key adjacentto the "NEXT" label. Thischangesthe displayed windowand description.

DISPLAY.

Digital

IAATER DEPTH

DEPTH ALARMS AND
UNITS OF MEASURE ARE SET IN MENU.
To stop the chart, pressthe"STOP" key in the unit's lower leftcorner. To start the chart, pressthe "STOP" key again.
GRAYLINE GRAYLINE lets you distinguish between strong and weak echoes. It "paints" grayon targetsthatarestrongerthan a presetvalue.Thisletsyou tell thedifferencebetween a hardand soft bottom. For example, a soft,
When you'vefinishedviewing thewindows, press the CLEARkey. MODIFYING GROUPS To modify or "customize" a
group, first press the WINDOWS key, then press the MENU key. Nowpress the key adjacentto the "MAIN MENU" labelatthebottom ofthescreen. The screen shown at right appears. Nowpress the keyadjacent to the "REPROGRAM A GROUP"label.

GRAYLINE ON

GRAYLINE OFF

a widegray line.

muddy or weedy bottom returns a weaker signal which is shown with a narrowor no grayline. Ahard bottom returnsastrongsignalwhich causes

Remember, the Fish l.D. feature can'tbe used when the X-55A is in the manual mode. If you turn the Fish l.D. feature on when the X-55A is in manual, the microcomputer will turnthe automatic featureon. If youturn automatic offwhenthe Fish I.D. feature is on, the Fish l.D. feature will be turnedoff also. FISHTRACKTM
ASP (Advanced Signal Processing) The ASP feature is a noise rejection system built into the X-55A that constantly evaluates the effects of boat speed, water conditions, and interference. This automatic featuregives youthe bestdisplay possible undermostconditions. TheASPfeatureisaneffective tool in combating noise. In sonar terms, noiseis any undesiredsignal. It iscaused byelectrical and mechanical sources such as bilge pumps, engine ignition.systems andwiring, air bubbles passing over the face of the transducer, even vibration from the engine. In all cases, noise can produce unwanted marks on the display.

SURFACE CLfRITY

nTLEuEr
The ASPfeature has two levels - Normal and High. Ifyou havehighnoise levels, try usingthe "High" ASPsetting. However, ifyouare having trouble with noise, we suggest thatyoutakestepsto findthe interference source and fix it, rather than continually using the unitwith the highASPsetting. However, therearetimeswhenyoumaywantto turnthe ASPfeatureoff. This allowsyouto viewall incoming echoes before they are processed by theASP feature.
OF CHART ASP narnI i-'iew_____
TheFishTrack feature shows the depth of a fish symbolwhenit appears on the display. This lets you accurately gauge the depth of targets.This featureis available onlywhenthe Fish ID feature is on. To turnthe FishTrack featureon, press themenu key, then press the key adjacent to the "Fish-ID On Off Fishlracl?' label until the black box surrounds the "FishTrack" label. Echoes will continue toscroll acrossthe screen, with the depth of fish
symbols showing above them as they appear on the display. To turn the FishTrack feature off again, first press the menu key. Next, pressthe key adjacent to the "Fish-ID On Off FishTrack" labeluntil the black boxsurrounds the"ON"labelto leave Fish ID on or the "OFF" label to turn both Fish ID and FishTrack off.
TochangetheASPlevel, press the MENU key five times. Then pressthe key nexttothe"ADJUST LEVEL OF CHARTASP"label until thedesired

level is obtained.

DISPLAYCONTRAST The unit's display contrast is adjustable tosuitdifferent lightingconditions. To adjust it, first press the menu key. The first
menu page appears. Nowpress the key next to the "ADJUST DISPLAY CONTRAST" label. A screen similarto the at right appears. Now press the key adjacent to the left arrow to decrease the contrast. Press the key adjacenttotherightarrowtoincrease it.Thepercentage ofcontrast in usechangesas thearrow keysare pressed. The barchartalsogivesa graphical indication of the contrastlevel. You can seethe change on the screen asyou pressthekeys. Afteryou'vemadetheadjustment, press the CLEARkey to erase the menu. MENU - PAGE 2

SELECTUNITS OF MEASURE The X-55A can display the water depth in feet, fathoms, or
meters, surface watertemperature in degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius, speed in statute miles perhour,kilometers perhour,or knots, and distance(log)inmiles, kilometers, or nautical miles.

!PTH:FMM

ADJUST BACK LIGHT LEUEL ADJUSTBACKLIGHT LEVEL The X-55A has internal lights for the display and keyboard. To adjust the intensity of the lighting, press the MENU key TURN DIGITAL BOX OFF twice,then pressthekey adjacent to the "ADJUST BACK CONSTRUCT DIGITAL BOX LIGHT LEVEL" label. The screen shown below appears. Now press theleftarrow key to EXIT' decreasethe light level. Press the right arrow key to increase it. The percentage of back light in use changes as the arrow keys are pressed. The bar chart also gives a graphical indication of the level. Afteryou've made theadjustment, press theCLEARkey to erase the menu.
Tochange theunitsofmeasure, press the key adjacent to the "SELECT UNITS OF MEASURE" label. The screen shown at right appears.The blackboxon each lineshowsthe unitof measure currently in use. In the screen shown below, the units of measure are in feet for the depth,temperature in degrees Fahrenheit, and both speed and log are in statutemiles perhour. Press the key adjacent totheunitthat youwishto change. For example, press the key nexttothe DEPTH label twotimesto switch fromfeet to meters. This moves the black boxtwo timesfromthe "Fl"'tothe"M".When youhavethe unitsofmeasure setas desired, press thekey nextto the "EXIT" label. CLEARDISTANCE LOG The X-55Astarts counting distance as soonas the X-55Aisturnedon. To reset the distance log to zero, press the MENU key until the "CLEAR DISTANCE LOG" label appears, then press the keyadjacenttothat label. MENU-PAGE 5 ADJUSTCHARTSURFACE CLARITY The markings extending downward from the zero line on the chart are called "surfaceclutter." These markings are caused by wave action, boat
wakes, temperature inversion, and other natural causes.
BACK LIGHT ONIOFF Toturn the back lighting on, press themenu keytwice, then press the key adjacenttothe "BACK LIGHT'label. Thismoves theblackboxfrom"OFF" to the"ON" position. To turn the backlights off, repeatthesame steps.
The Surface Clarity Control (5CC) reduces or eliminates surface cluttersignals fromthe display. SCCvariesthe sensitivity of the receiver, decreasing it near the surface and gradually increasing it as the depth increases.Themaximum depth that SCC will affect is

CONSTRUCT DIGITALBOX and TheX-55A candisplaythe depth, speed, surface watertemperature, distancelogintheupperleftportion ofthescreen. Whenthe X-55A isfirst turnedon, onlythe depth is displayed. Youcanturneachdigitaldisplayon as desired or turn all of them off, as desired. AUTO DEPTH
'TURN FASTRAK ON" label. To turn it off, repeat the same steps. The 'TURN FASTRAK OFF" label appears instead of the 'TURN FASTRAK ON" Iabel.
To select the digital displays menu,firstpressthemenu key three times. Next, press the key adjacent to the "CONSTRUCT DIGITAL BOX" menu. Ascreen appearsthatis similar to the one at right.
Now pressthekey adjacent to the desired display. For example, toturn thetemperature displayon, pressthekey adjacentto the "INCLUDE TEMP." label. Once you do this, the

lfl 597FT

67.9 F

REMOVE DEP REMOVE TEMP.

key adjacent to the 'TURN CHARTCURSOR OFF"label. TheX-55Areturnstothe sonar screen with the chart cursor turnedoff.

52.OFT

digital display in the cornerof the screen will show the temperature inadditiontothedepth. The temperature menu label nowshows"REMOVETEMP."
Youcanturneachdisplayon or off individually.
Press the CLEAR key to exit from this menu or wait approximately ten secondsand the menus will automatically clear.
Toturn the entire digital boxoff, press the MENU key twice, then press the key nextto the'TURN DIGITAL BOXOFF"label. The unitwill return to the sonar displaywith the digital box erased from the screen. To turn it on again, repeat theabove steps. The label on the second menu page now reads 'TURN DIGITAL BOXON."
DISPLAYZOOM BAR 98 When the unit is in the zoom mode, the zoom bar doesn't __________ ________ 60 normally show on the screen. The zoom bar showsthesection of wateron the right side of the screen that the zoomfeaturedisplays ontheleftside.To turnthezoom baroncontinuously, firstpresstheMENU key until the 3rd menu page AUTO 33.6 appears. Now press the key 0z -c j 97.0 FT II next to the "DISPLAY ZOOM o

BAR" label.

K;; it'
To turnthezoom baroff, press the MENU key until the third

MENU- PAGE 3

CHART CURSOR
The X-55Ahasa chart cursor that allows you to pinpoint a target's depth. The cursor is simply a horizontal line that
extends acrossthe displayfrom leftto right. A depth boxatthe end oftheline on the right side shows the line's depth. In the example below,thecursor(line) is at 30.0 feet.

URI'J CHAP. CURSOR OI

the key adjacent to the "REMOVE ZOOM BAR' label. Note: Turningthe zoom baron also turnsthezoomfeature on. U SPLA'i ZOOM BAR

INSTALLATION AND OPERATION MANUAL

COMMAND SUMMARY

DIGITALOFF/ON DIGITALWs SIZE AUTORANGING OFF/ON HIGH-SPEED Scroll ON/OFF CLEAR ENTRY CLEAR SCREEN FREEZE CHART RESTARTCHART DISCRIMINATION AUTO-RANGING W/ZOOM BO1TOMTRACK INCREASE SENSITIVITY DECREASE SENSITIVITY INCREASE CHART SPEED DECREASE CHART SPEED VIEW CHART SPEED WITHOUTCHANGING TURN OFF/ONAUTO SENSITIVITY TURN ON/OFF LIGHTS FEET-FATHOMS-METERS CHART ALARM SET

LCG RECORDER

2nd-5 2nd-2 2nd-B 2nd-4 2nd-O or 2nd-2nd

2nd-0-0

STOP/RESUME STOP/RESUME 0,1, or 2-DISC WINDOWSIZE-2nd-8
PRESS KEY PRESS KEY PRESS FAST KEY PRESS SLOW KEY PRESS 2nd-FAST or SLOW

PRESS AUTO KEY

2nd-9 2nd-6
SET or DEEP SETSELECT-SHALLOW UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW TO ADJUSTDEPTH ALARM DEPTHSELECT-SHALLOW SHALLOWSET-DEEPALARM DEPTH DEEP SET 2nd-O-SELECT

NOTE KEY'

DEPTH ALARMSET
CLEAR ALARM TURN ALARM SPEAKER OFF/ON
LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC.

988-0105-04

12000 E. SKELLY DR., TULSA, OKLA. 74128
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Installation

Power Connections

BASIC OPERATION

OFF/ON

Sensitivity

SHALLOW WATER OPERATION
______ ______ Theeasiestway to do this is to press I 2ND I I 4 HISPOJ ______ _______
Next, select a depth range.

ChartSpeed Clear Range

In very shallow water, (less than eight feet)the LCG may operate better with the automatic and digital functions turned off.

Auto Range

Lower Limit Upper Limit

Digital

lithe sensitivityis too high, press
Selectingthe high speed scroll feature not only gives a high hat speed, but also turns off the digital sonar,auto sensitivity, and auto ranging.If a slower chart speed is desired, press the 2nd key and then the 4 key again.Thiswill turn off the High SpeedScroll mode, howeverthe automatic sensitivity, auto ranging and digital function will remain off. The sensitivityis too high if the screen appearsblack, obscuring the bottom signal.
ALARMS Chart Alarm Clearing Chart Alarm Depth Alarm Clearing Depth Alarm Light Discrimination

ADVANCED OPERATION

"

High Speed Scroll

FASTRAK
Feet-Fathoms-Meters Auto Range with Zoom Bottom Track Auto Sensitivity Other Tips Transducers and Cone Angles Signal Interpretation Fish Signals Surface Clutter Water Temperature and Thermoclines Surveyinga Lake Bait Fish Troubleshooting Specifications Row to Obtain Service Schematic Diagramand Parts List SHALLOWWater Operation
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INTRODUCTION The LowranceX-3 Liquid CrystalGraph (LCG) is a compact unit that packs more power and featuresthan anyothersonar using a liquid crystal display (LCD.). The LCD. sets the X-3 apart from othersonar units. Insteadof a stylus writing on chart paper or a flashing neon light, the X-3 displays the depth information on a screen using small squares which turn black whenan echo is received. As each echo is detected,the signals move across the screen, leaving behind a record of the areathat was just passed.
No othersonar has as many automatic features as the X-3. Onceturned on, it will find and display the bottom signal, fish, and other targets.As the depth of the bottom changes,the X-3 will automaticallychange the range, sensitivity, and other controls so thatthe bottom will always be displayed on the screen.If desired, the only key on the keyboardthat needs to be touched is the off/on key. However,the X-3 hasbuilt in override capability that allowsthe features to be used in any combinationto bestsuit local conditions.

If you live out of the state of Oklahoma,call 1-800-331-3889,toIl free. If you live in the state of Oklahoma, call collect 918-437-6881.
Pleasedetail the problemyou are experiencing.Our Service Department may be able to save you the inconvenienceof returning your unit.

Ground

Neqalive) Figure 1
If it is determinedthatyour unitmust be returned,full shipping instructionswill be provided.
The power cable hastwo wires, red for the positivelead and black is ground or negative.An in-line fuse holdercontaininga 3 amp fuse is supplied with the X-3. Thisshould be attached to the red wire on the power cable with the crimp connector.Theother end of the fuseholder should be attached to the battery or accessory buss.If the cable is not long enough, splice ordinary #18 lamp cord to reach.Just be certain that the fuse holderis as close to the power source (batteryor accessory buss) as possible. This will protect the power cable and unitin the event of a short TheX-3 is protected from accidental polarity reversalsand will not be harmed if the wires are reversed. (However, the unit will not work until the proper polarity is applied.)
Electrical noise picked up by the power cable can be minimizedby routing it away from otherpossible sources ofelectrical interference.One of the largest noise generators is the engine'swiring harnessthat runs from the engine to the boat's instrumentpanel. This harness usually contains a wire for the tachometer which radiates RF (radio frequency)energy. For the bestresults,keep the power and transducer cables away from the engine wiring. Bilge pumps are also noisy, so try to keep the X-3's cables away from them,too. VHF radio antenna's coax cable radiate RF energy at higherpower levels than even the engines wiring hamess.It isvery importantto keep the X-3'spowerand transducer cables as far away as possiblefrom the VHF radio's antennacable.
SCHEMATICDIAGRAM AND PARTS LIST
Shouldyou desire a schematic and parts list for your Lowrance sonar, send $1.00 to the address below and it will be mailed to you promptly. Pleasebe sure and give us the model and serial numberofyour Lowrance sonar unit Mail To: Lowrance Electronics 12000 E. Skelly Dr. Tulsa, Oklahoma 74128
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SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions Weight Transmitter
When first turned on, the X-3 automaticallyadjusts the sensitivity, range, and chart speed according to water and bottom conditions. In fact, it can be leftin this mode and itwill track the bottom and display it atall times, automaticallychanging the range as the bottom depth varies. The sensitivity will also change as required, to keep the bottom signal displayed.If present,fish or other targets may be seen. At first, operate the X-3 in the automatic mode only.Just turn it on and watch it work. Then, read the following chapter on the X-3'sbasic operation and learn how to adjust it for your specific needs. Later, read the Advanced Operation section to make the most out of the X-3's remarkablecapabilities.

5"H x 8/16"Wx 2%"D 1 pounds 192 kHz 600 watts peak to peak typical 75 watts RMS 90 db 200 ma (lights off) 500 ma (lights on)
OutputPower ReceiverSensitivity

Operating Current

Operating Voltage

9-15 vdc

82 x 32 2624Total 300'-500' typical (with 20 degree transducer)
Number of pixels Depth Capability
500'-700'typical (with 8 degree
transducer) DisplayScroll Speed.5" per minute (minimum, normal mode) 8" per minute (maximum, normal mode) 32" per minute (Nigh SpeedScroll)
Temperature (operating) Temperature (storage)
The off/on key is in the lowerright hand cornerof the keyboard.It was placed in this location so that it would be easy to findeven at night.

Turning poweron

0 degrees C to +60 degrees C
+32 degrees F to 140 degrees F
40 degreesC to +80 degrees C 40 degrees F to +176 degrees F
To turn the X-3 on, press the off/on key. (Note: the unitwill beep every time a key is pressed.This is how theX-3 signals that an entry on the keyboard hasbeen made.) The chart lights will begin flashing,then turn themselvesoff aftersix seconds.A message (see figure 4) will be displayed and the number"0" will flash. This number is the digital bottom depth display.Afterthe unithas found the bottom, the depth will be shown in the display,proper sensitivityand range will be selected,and return echoes from the bottom,fish, or othertargets will begin scrolling across the display
To turn the X-3 off, press and HOLD the off/on key until the display is erased. This maytakeseveralseconds. Theunitwill beep continuously until ypy releasethe off/on key. Remember, you must holdthe Off/On key down until the screen.is erased. If you don't holdit for several seconds, the unit won'tturn off.

Turning power off

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TROUBLESHOOTING

SENSITM
If the unitworks properlywhen stopped or at low speeds,but loses the bottom signal at high speed,the transducer couldbe improperly installed. Readthe transducer installationmanualfor the correct mounting

procedure.

be the cause. Double check the installation, particularlythe power and transducer cable routing. Make certain thatthey are away from the enginewiring or other wiring harnesses,especiallythe tachometer wiring.

If the transducer is installed properly,then electrical interferencecould

II :E;E A F: c H

Figure 2
Should the display "freeze' check to see if the top line ofthe display or the digital bottom depth is flashing. If it is, then the unit is working, but the digital has lost the bottom signal, and it is trying to find it The chart stops scrolling when the digital loses the bottom. It will start moving again when the digital regains the bottom. If neither the top line of the display nor the digital bottom depth is flashing and the chart won'tscroll,then turn the unit off and backon again. Theunitshould begin working normally. If it cannot find the bottom signal, and youare in shallow water,(less than eight feet)following the directions on page 24 concerningshallow water operation may help.

'i1F9i1'1bth'

Ifthe unit doesn't turnon when the ON/OFF key is pressed, then check the fuse or battery conections for tightnessor corrosion.
Fish signals, especiallyin shallow water,do not alwaysarch, but appear as irregularlyshaped marks. Fish arches are most likelyseen in 40 feet or deeper water, using a zoom range (for example40 to 60 feet).Read the section "Fish Signals" on page 25.
SENSITIVITY When firstturned on, the X-3 is in the AUTOSEARCH mode. This means the sensitivityand range are being automaticallyadjusted by the microcomputer to find and lock onto the bottom. Thesensitivity can be leftin the automatic mode,or it can be manually adjusted higher or lowerto suit conditions. The sensitivitylevel settings are displayed by a horizontal bar at the top of the display.See Figure 2. When the sensitivityis at minimum,the bar is very short As sensitivityis increased,the bar will travel to the right increasing in length correspondingwith the higher sensitivityselling. When the sensitivity is set to maximum, the bar will run completely across the top of the display from left to right TheAUTO key at the top middle position on the keyboardtUrnsauto sensitivityoff and on. Press it once, and autO sensitivityis turned off. Press it again, and auto sensitMty will be turned ott The auto annunciator is below the sensitivitybar, and canbe seen when the auto sensitivityis on.
If the unit will not turn off, rememberthatyou should press and HOLDthe ON/OFF key down until the display goes blank. If you don't hold the key down, the unitwon'tturn off:

SPEED BAR

CHART SPEED When theX-3 is firstturned on, the chartspeed runs at a pre-determined
they usually remain, helps you get the most from your X-3. Tofind the different temperatures,a surface temperaturemeter, such as the LDT-3000 is a valuableaid to your fishing.This unit provides an extremelyquick responseto identifyingthe desired surface water temperaturesfor various species. The temperatureof water in the lake is seldom constantfrom top to bottom. Layersof differenttemperaturesform,and the junction of a warm and cool layer of water is called a thermocline.The depth and thickness ofthe thermocline can vary with the season or time of day. In deep lakes there may be two or more at differentdepths.Thermoclines are important to fishermen becausetheyare areas where fish are active. Many times bait fish will be abovethe thermocline whilelarger game fish will suspend in or just above it
TheX-3 can detect this invisible temperaturelayer in the water, but the sensitivitywill probably have to be turned up to see it

uuuo flUID 111111111

Figure 5

"WI

At times it is desirable to stop or "freeze"the display to examinean echo.
Pressingthe STOP/RESUMEkey once wil freeze the display.While the display is stopped, theverytop of the surface line will flash on and off to signify that the unitis in the freeze mode. PressingSTOP/RESUMEagain will start the display moving at the last chart speed setting.

111----

THERMOCLINE

2ND KEY

TheX-3 has many different functions,but only a limited amount of space for keys. Therefore,some of the keys have morethan one function.The key's primary function is printed very large, whilethe secondary function is printed underneathwith small letters of a different color. The key in the middle of the bottom row labeled2nd must be used to access the
secondary functions of the keys.

Figure 24

rn Ut'
For example, the 9 key hasa small label beneaththe number nine that says "LIGHT". If you press the 9 key by itself, the X-3 thinks that you want the number 9. However,ifyou press the 2nd key first, then press the nine key, the X-3 will turn on the lights in the display.The2nd key just reassigned the meaning of the 9 key from a 9 to LIGHT PDF compression, OCR, web-optimization with CVISION's PdfCompressor
SURFACECLUTTER Themarkings at the top of the screen representthe surface of the water
which can extend manyfeet below the surface.This can interferewith fish signals or other targets. It's called Surface Clutter and is caused by algae, plankton, air bubblescaused by wave action or boat wakes, bait fish, or temperatureinversions.
CLEAR Ifyoupress a key that is not whatyouwanted, you canwait six seconds before pressing another key and the X-3 will automatically clear or "forget"the last key entered.

For example,if. you wish to turn on the lights,the proper keys to press are 2nd-9. However, if you accidentally pressed the 0 key instead of the 2nd key by accident,you could wait six seconds until the 0 disappears from the screen, then press 2nd-9.Another quick wayto clearan incorrect entry is to press 2nd-O and the last key enteredwill be erased.

101 I CLEJ

These marks are normal and can be seen at any timeduring the year.It's usually the worst in the spring and summer,slacking off in the fall and

winter.

SURFACE

cLurrER

The entire display maybe erased by pressing 2nd-0-O. Everything except the digital numbers(if turned on) will be cleared fromthe display.

Figure 23

Although the X-3 will automaticallychange the range whenever the bottom getsshallower or goes deeper,thereare times when it is desirable to expand the range, or look at a differentsegment ofthewater below. Therange can be setanywherefrom 0 to 989 feeton the upper limit and 10 to 999 feet on the lower limit, provided the lower limit is no closerto the upper limit than 10 feet.
WATER TEMPERATURE AND THERMOCLINES Water temperaturehas an importantif not controllinginfluence upon the activitiesof all fish. Fish are cold blooded and their bodies are near the temperatureof the surroundingwater. During the winter, this slows down their metabolism so that they can only utilize about a fourth as much food as they consume in the summer.
Most fish don't spawn unlessthe water temperatureis within rather narrow limits. Trout can't survivein streams that get too warm; bass and other fish eventually die out when stocked in lakes that remain too cold during the summer. So fish will do without food rather than venture into waterthat is too hot or too cold; others will shift position for a temperature change as slight as one-half of one degree. While some fish havea wider temperaturetolerance than others, each of them has a certain range within which it tries to stay. Schooling fish suspended over deep waterlie at the level that providesthis temperaturein which, we assume, theyare the most comfortable.

AUTO RANGE

tAUTO RNG
When the X-3 is firstturned on, the AUTO RANGE function is enabled. It may be turned off anytimeby pressingthe 2nd key, then the 8 key. (In this manual, pressingkeys in sequence as just described will be shown like this: 2nd-B.) TheAUTO RANGING annunciator in the bottom right hand corner ofthe displaywill disappear,signifying the automatic ranging capability hasbeen tumed off. To return to the AUTO RANGE mode,simply press the 2nd-8 keys again and the unit will automaticallytrackthe bottom and place it in the lower 4/5 of the screen.
There are ten scale markers printed on both sides of the X-3's display to help determine whatthe depth of a target is. For example, if the depth range is 0 to 60 feet, then each mark is equal to six feet. If the target (such as a fish) was next to the 5th line, then it is 30 feet deep (5 lines times six feet=30feet). To make it easier to use the depth scale, use ranges in multiples often, i.e. 10, 30, 140, etc.

For example, to set the range from 0 to 31 feet, press 3-1 -LOWER LIMIT.
If a partial arch occurs mostof the time on your unit(the mark curves up, but not back down, or vice-versa)it could be the transducer is not pointed straight down. If the transducer is mounted on the transom, adjust it until the fish show the distinctive arch. Thismay take some trial and erroruntil the correct mountingangle is achieved.

Figure7

I'll"
NOTE: Although the maximumlower limit of the X-3 is 999 feet, the actual depth that the X-3 will reach is dependenton the water conditions, bottom conditions,and the quality of the transducer installation.

UPPER LIMIT

Figure 21
It is often desirable to expanda section ofthedisplay to show more detail. This is made possible on the X-3 by using the UPPERLIMIT key. To change the upper limit of the screen,simply press the desired depth (any numberbetween0 and 989 feet) and then the UPPERLIMIT key. The only restriction on the upper limit is that it must not be closerto the lower limit than 10 feet. In other words, if the lower limit is setto 81 feet, the upper limit cannot be set any closer than 71 feet A ten foot segment or larger (20, 30, 120, etc.) is required.
Upper and lower limits may be set in various combinationsto show segments from the surfaceto the bottom and nearly anywhere in betweento expand or "zoom" a portion of the display.If a ten foot segment is chosen, then the screen resolution is 1". This meansthat each dot is equal to 1 incheswhena ten foot segment is chosen.
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Example: Set range to 16 to 31 feet Press: 1-6-UPPER LIMIT then 3-1 LOWER
The20 degree transducer is almost always the best to use in fresh water, while the 8 degree is used mostly in salt water In a deep water environment, (300 feetfreshwater, 100 feetsalt water) the narrow coneangle is more desirable because it can penetrateto much deeper depths since the sound energy is concentrated in a smallerarea.
Both the 8 degree and the 20 degree transducersgive accurate bottom readings,even though the bottom signal is much wideron the 20 degree model because you are seeing more ofthe bottom.Remember, the shallow edge ofthe signal shows you the truedepth.The rest of the signal tells youwhetheryou are over rocks, mud, dropoffs, etc.

transducers.

Figure 8
Saltwater boats need to have the transducerpaintedwith a thin coatof anti-foulant paint to prevent organismsfrom growing.If unchecked,barnacles and othermarine growth will cause a decrease in the transducer's sensitivity. Do not use a metal based anti-foulantpaint as it will decrease the transducer's sensitivityalso. There are special anti-foulant paints carriedby most marine dealers specificallydesigned for

NOTE: When the X-3 is in the AUTO RANGE mode, the upper limit may be changed at anytime. If the upper limit is changed while the unitis in theAUTO RANGE mode,the X-3 will continueto select a lowerlimit that will keep the bottom displayed in the lower portion of the screen.
(PtGrTAL DIGITAL A complete digital sonar is incorporated intothe X-3. It automaticallydis-
criminates betweenthe valid bottom echoes and false echoes from fish, thermocline, or surface clutter Thedigital displaywill show only the bottom depth. It may be used at anytime, in conjunction with anyother mode theX-3 may be in (with the exception of FASTRACK or High Speed Scroll modes described in the AdvancedOperation section of this

manual).

Becauseyour X-3 is both extremelysensitiveand powerful, it cangive youan accurate picture of the kind ofbottom over whichyour boat is passing. A bottom offirm sand, gravel, shell, or hard clay returns a fairly wide signal. If the automatic sensitMty is turned off, and the signal narrows down, then it means thatyou have moved over a mud bottom. Mud absorbs the sound waves and returns a weak signal. Turn up the sensitivity. If you have the automatic sensitivityturned on, watch the sensitivity bar. As the boat passes over the mud bottom,the X-3 will automaticallyincrease the sensitivityto maintaina good bottom signal. The sensitivitybar will help you in determiningifthe bottom is softor hard. If it increaseswhile in the same depth of water,then the boat has moved over a soft bottom.If it decreases,then it is over a hard bottom.Of course,as the water depth increasesor decreases,the sensitivitywill change, also. Big rocks or stumpson a smooth bottom send back signals above the bottom, the distance depending upon their height If you watch as you approach a post or a tree stump, it will be clealry visableas a short line extendingabove the bottom signal.

SIGNAL INTERPRETATION

When the X-3 is turned on, the bottom depth will be displayed on the screen.
TRANSDUCERS AND CONE ANGLE Thesound waves from the transducr go down ihtothe water in a cone shaped beam, much like the beam frOm a flashlight Theangle betWeen the outside edges ofthe cone is called the cone angle.

Lowrance offersa choice of transducers with either an 8 or 20 degree cone angle that will interchangewith any!of the 192 kHz sonar products. In otherwords, any Lowrance sonar instrumentcan be used with any Lowrance transducer of the same frequencywithoutretuning of any kind, and no loss of performance.However, the use of any other manufacturers' transducerwill result in a loss of performance.
Generally, wide coneangle transducers (20 degrees) are ideally suited
for operatingin shallow to mediumwaterdepths.The20 degree cone angle allows youto see more of the underwaterworld.In 15 feet of water the 20 degree cone covers an area that's about six feet across. The8 degree transducercovers only about a two foot circle.

BOTTOM

DEP11-l

Figure 9

For easier reading,the size ofthe digital numbers can be doubled by pressing2nd-2.To return them backto the smaller size, press 2nd-2 again.The numbersmust be displayed on the screen before you press 2nd-2.

Depth Diameter _________

Cone Angle 18ft.

iumIIIHhi

Figure 20

Figure 10

8at3db
To turnthe digital displayoff, or back on again, press 2nd-5.

AUTO SENSITIVITY

Even if the digital numbersare not being displayedon the screen,the digital sonar will still continueto function.If the digital loses the bottom signal,the chart display will stop until the digital finds the bottom. If the digital numbersare being displayed on the screen,the chart display will stop, but the digital will flash the last valid bottom depth until it regains the bottom signal.
Wheneverthe X-3 is in the auto-sensitivity mode, it will adjust the sensitivity of the unitto threesteps above the minimum required to pick up the bottom signal. (Thereare 32 steps of sensitivityavailable.)
Thesensitivity maybe adjusted while the X-3 is in the auto-sensitivity mode. This may be desirable if the level of sensitivitythat the X-3 picked is not enough to showfish or other detail. Once the sensitivityhasbeen changed,the X-3 will increase the sensitivityenough to pick up the bottom signal,then add the level that you programmedin.

For example, if it tookthe X-3 five stepsof sensitivitytofind and lock onto the bottom, it will add threemore steps for a total ofeight If desired, any amount of sensitivityup to 24 (for a total of 32) may be added. Or, three steps of sensitivitycould be subtracted,howeveronly the bottom signal would be displayed at this low sensitMtysetting. There are two ways of adjustingthe sensitivitywhilethe X-3 is in the auto-sensitivitymode.
If the chart is in thefreeze mode,the digital displaywill continue to show the bottom depth as it changes. It does not freezewhen the chart does. Thisgives an accurate means of determiningthe precise bottom depth at all times. In fact, theX-3 can beturned into a digital sonar by pressing 2nd-0-5.Thiswill clear the screen of all echoes, including the bottom signal, and increase the size ofthe numbersfor easier viewing.
To display the bottom and other echoes again, press the STOP/RESUME key in the chartsection of the keyboard.
Thefirstis to press either the right arrow key>to increasethe sensitivity or press the leftarrow key <to decreaseit Ifthe value goes below the minimum required to keep the bottom signal,the X-3 will "chirp' The same is true if you try to go above 32 steps. As you press the arrow key, the sensitivitybar will move to the leftor right, according to the amount of
sensitivitychosen. The second method allowsyou to enterthe amount of stepsusing the number keys on the keyboard.For example, to adjust the sensitivityso that it will always beten steps abovethe minimum required to lock onto the bottom, press the 1 -0-AUTO keys.Thesensitivitywill then increase to ten steps above the minimum required, insteadofthree. Remember, the total number of steps is 32.

ALARMS

TheX-3 has two alarms,a chart alarm and a depth alarm. The chart alarm requires both an upper limit and a lower limit setting. Thealarm then "sounds off" whenever an echo (such as a fish) is detected inside the boundaries setby the upper and lower limits. Thedepth alarm also allows an upper and lower limit but it sounds whenever the bottom echo is detected outsidethe boundaries set by the alarm's upper and lowerlimits. Both chart and depth alarms can be set, then switched backand forth. However, they cannot be used simultaneously and will be treated separatelyin this section.
If an incorrect entry is made,wait six seconds for itto disappear,then enter the desired number. Or, press 2nd-O within six seconds of an entry and it will erase the last keystroke.

Press 2nd-FAST or SLOW to display the chart speed bar without chang-

OTHERTIPS

ingthe chart speed.
When changing the upper or lower limits, rememberthe minimumdistance betweenthe two is ten feet. If a distance smaller than ten feet is pressed,the unitwill move the range to a ten foot separation.For example, if the upper limit was 0 and 9-LOWER LIMIT was entered, the X-3 would disregard the 9 and set the lower limitto ten feet
AUTO RANGEWITH ZOOM BOTTOM TRACK

CHART ALARM

Thechart alarm can be thought of as a fish alarm. It wil sound whenever an echo is detected(such as a fish, or a school of fish) inside its window.
To set the chart alarm, press the SELECT key on the alarm section of the keyboard.Thewords CHART ALARM will be displayed in the lower left cornerof the screen.To view the Chart Alarm setting,press either SHALLOW SET or DEEP SETkeys.A vertical bar will be displayed on the left side of the screen.This is the alarm "window". Anyechothat appears betweenthe top and bottom of the bar will sound the alarm. Both shaDow and deep ends ofthe bar maybe adjusted to make a smaller or larger alarm "window".
An optionalAuto Rangefeature is AUTORANGEwith ZOOM BOTTOM TRACK. When the X-3 is in the auto-range mode, it picksa lower limit range that will keep the bottom signal in the lower 4/5 of the screen.The upper limit is normallyset to zero, unless you have changed it However, a "window" can be usedto "zoom" or expand the area near the bottom and track it as the bottom risesor falls. For example, supposethe bottom is 85 feet deep. To display a 50 foot windowaround the bottom, press 5-0-2nd-8.TheX-3 will choose an upper and lowerlimitthat will placethe bottom signal in a fifty foot window. Theupper limit of the display may read 45 feet whilethe lower limit may changeto 95 feet. Thebottom will be tracked and always kept inside this window as it goes deeper or shallower This is useful ifyou wish to expandor "zoom" the lowersection of the display without disabling the auto-range function.

OR "WINDOW'

Figure 11

.OHARTALM

ANNUNCIATOR

Figure 19

The upper and lower limits cannot be changed when the X-3 is in the
Auto Rangewith Zoom Bottom Track mode. To exit from the Zoom Bottom Track, press 2nd-B. This will turn off Auto Ranging, also.To returntoAuto Range only, press 2nd-8 again.
To adjust the top (orshallow) alarm, press the SHALLOWSET key, then press the up arrow key to move the top of the window up, or the down arrow key to move thetop of the window deeperThebottom partof the alarm window is set in the same manner Press the DEEP SET key, then press either the up arrow key to make the bottom partof the window move shallow,or press the down arrow key to move the bottom of the window deeper Afteryou releasethe keys,the bar will remain on the screen for six seconds and then disappear Ifyou wish to view the chart alarm bar at anytime, make certain thatthe CHARTALARM annunciator is visable,then press either SHALLOWSET or DEEP SET keys and the bar will be displayedfor anothersix seconds.

If the chart alarm is setoff by a fish or the bottom, the alarm will sound and the ALARM canbe seen at the bottomofthe display
lithe range is changed,the chart alarm may need to be changed also, since it operates independentlyand does not track range sethngs.

FT/FA/M

Thenote key turns the audible tone off or on. When the alarms are firstset, the audible tone is on which canbe seen by the note annunciator at the bottom of the display. To turn the audible tone off, press the note key on the keyboard once. To turn it back on, press the note key

again.

FEET-FATHOMS-METERS TheX-3 can displaythe depth in either feet, fathoms, or meters. When it is first turned on, the display reads in feet To change it to fathoms or meters, press 2nd-6.The letters 'ft' will be displayedon the screen, showing thatthe X-3 is in the feet mode. While the letters "it" are still displayed,press the 6 key again. Now the letters "ft" will disappear and the letters "fa" will appear.The range has changed to fathoms. Press the 6 key again and the display will show the letter "M" and changeto meters.After six seconds the letterswill disappear. To changethe range backto feet, press 2nd-6-6.To seewhich range mode the unit is in, press 2nd-6 at any time and the lettersft fa, or m will appear When the unitis turned off, and then back on, it will always returnto feet.
To turn the Chart Alarm off, press theSELECT key to switchover to the DeepAlarm, or press 2nd -0-SELECT. The annunciator"CHARTALARM" in the bottom left hand corner of the screen will go off, showing that the alarm is no longer in use. Note: Simplypressingthe SELECT key will switchthe X-3 fromthe chart alarm to the depth alarm. All of the chart alarm settings will remain in memory. Pressing2nd-0-SELECT will erase the chart alarm settings.

Clearing the Chart Alarm

DEPTH ALARM TheDepthAlarm is actuallytwo alarms.The shallow alarm gives a visual
and/or audible signal when in water that is shallower than the alarm set point Thedeep alarm will give a visual and/or audible signal when in water that is deeper than the alarm set point Note thatthis alarm window is exactly oppositefrom the chart alarm. Also, the depth alarm can be set off only by the bottom signal,not by fish or any other echoes.

NOTE: Thedigital must be on in order to use the Depth Alarm. To use the depth alarm, press the SELECT key until the DEPTHALM annunciator appears in the lowerleft hand corner of the screen. When firstturned on, both alarms are automaticallysetto zero. To setthe Deep alarm, press the desired depth using the numberkeys on the keyboard, then press the DEEPSET key. For example, if a Deep alarm setting of 55 feet is desired, press 5-5-DEEPSET. Thenumber55 will show in the display in large numbersfor 6 seconds and then disappear.Now if the waterdepth goesbelow 55 feet the alarm will sound. NOTE: Themaximum alarm depth setting is 999 feet 20 PDF compression, OCR, web-optimization with CVISION's PdfCompressor

15 Figure 18

iuuammmiuu FASTRAK The FASTRAK causesthe X-3 to display the bottom, fish, trees, or other echoes including the bottom signal will be converted into short, straight horizontal lines.As the bottom or otherechoes moves shallow or deeper, the lines will rise or fall accordingly.This gives quick, precise depth informationat a glance. If the auto sensitivity, auto ranging,and digital functions are on, they will be disabled when the FASTRAK mode is enabled.
To start the FASTRAK mode, press 2nd-7.

ALARM SET

SHALLOW

""WI:

DEPTH AIM ,?

DEPTH AIM

Figure 12

Figure 13

Clearing the Depth Alarm A quick methodto erase or clear all functions of the depth alarm can be
done by pressing2nd-C-SELECT. Thiserases all alarm settings for the alarm that is currently in use. For example,to disable both the shallow and deep settings, press the SELECT key until the DEPTH ALARM annunciator is displayedin the bottom left corner of the screen, then press 2nd-U-SELECTand it will immediatelybe cleared. The annunciator will go off showingthat the alarm is no longer in use.

eorroM

Figure 17 To exit the FASTRAK mode, press 2nd-7 again. The auto sensitivity, auto ranging,and digital functions will still be off after the FASTRAK mode is turned oft turns the audible tone off or on. When the alarms are The,note key first set, the audible tone is on which can be seen by the note annunciator at the bottom of the display.To turn the audible tone off, press the note key on the keyboard once. To turn itback on, press the note key LILJ aain.

HIGH SPEED SCROLL

LIGHT A light is provided for operation of the X-3 at night. When the unitis first
turned on, the lights will flash for 6 seconds. Press the 2nd-9 keys and the lights will stay on. To turn the lights off, press the 2nd-9 keys. The lights will also go off when the X-3 is turned off.

DISCRIMINATION

Noise is quite often the biggestcomplaintfishermen have about their sonar units.Noise is any undesired signal and it can be caused either by an electrical or acoustic source, or a combinationof the two. In both cases,the noisecan produce unwantedmarks on the display.